The present invention relates generally to the field of computer configuration settings, and more particularly to managing computer configuration settings in a multi-user environment.
Computers can be utilized by a single user or shared among multiple users. Operating systems and/or application software can be enabled for multi-users, allowing more than one user to utilize the same computer through unique user accounts. User accounts enable individual utilization of a computer or network service by maintaining separate information in the form of a user profile about each user. The user profile within the user account includes unique settings and preferences (e.g., personal preferences, desktop settings, backgrounds, network connections, etc.) specific to the particular user. The user profiles associated with a user account can be either local (i.e., stored on the local hard disk of a computer) or roaming (i.e., stored on a centralized file server accessible from any network joined desktop computer). Roaming profiles allow users to log on from any computer on the same network and have a consistent desktop experience whereas local profiles are specific to a single computer.
Multi-user systems require users to have authorization to access a computer system and to enable the correct user account and user profile for the user. Authorization is determined when a user provides valid credentials to the computer system to prove identity. Credentials may be a physical/tangible object (e.g., an access badge, near field communication), a piece of knowledge (e.g., a user name and password combination), and/or a facet of a person's physical being (e.g., a biometric feature). Biometric authentication relates to human characteristics and traits such as fingerprints, facial recognition, iris recognition, retinal scans, voice, and hand geometry which are captured by the computer system. The captured data converts the actual image or sound into a digital file which is stored and analyzed by a computer or compared with other files in a database to verify identity and provide authorization to the appropriate user account. Near field communication allows devices to transfer electronically stored information automatically from tags (i.e., small microchips with antennas) by touch or proximity detection (e.g., radio-frequency identification (RFID)). The transferred data automatically identifies and collects data about the object and enters the data directly into the computer system to determine the appropriate user account. Successful authorization of a user through the verification of credentials results in the loading of the user account and user profile providing the appropriate work environment determined by the user.